


Moments In Time/Conversations With Friends

by euphrosyna



Category: How I Met Your Mother
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-20
Updated: 2009-12-20
Packaged: 2017-10-04 16:59:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/euphrosyna/pseuds/euphrosyna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>10 drabbles focusing on time and friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moments In Time/Conversations With Friends

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WSP](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WSP/gifts).



> 10 100-word drabbles, based on the first 10 prompts in LJ's FanFic 100 Challenge (http://community.livejournal.com/fanfic100/)

**001\. Beginnings. **

"Dude, my new roommate is the dean!" Marshall could feel his voice rising in pitch. "I have to call him Dean Ted and everything."  
His brother laughed. "Alright, we'll give it to you straight. Mom asked him to room with you. She wants someone to look after their widdle baby Marshie."  
"Are you kidding?!" Marshall panicked. "Put Mom on the phone! I mean it, put Mom on the phone! Don't hang up… dammit!"  
Marshall replaced the receiver and trudged slowly back to his room. A familiar aroma came to his nose as he opened the door…   
"You're not the dean!"

 

**002\. Middles. **

"I would walk 500 hundred miles and I would walk 500 more…" Ted and Marshall sang tunelessly.  
"Jerky?" Marshall yelled over the music.  
"I thought no food was allowed in the Fiero!" Ted yelled back. "Zi.."  
"Zitch dog!" Marshall interrupted. "Tantrum and jerky don't count. What's the address again?"  
"316 Kinsey Street, Chicago, Illinois."  
"Where are we now?"  
Ted peered out the window. "Dude, why's everything black and white? Are we in an old movie?"  
"Maybe… is that a church? Can you hear bells?"  
"Can we stop the car for a sec? I think I'm gonna…"  
"Sure… zitch dog!!"  
"Dammit!"

 

**003\. Ends. **

Ted put the last box in the car. "So what do I do now?"  
"We could get pizza in Garzola's and drink some Tantrum," Marshall suggested.   
"Well yeah," Ted agreed. "But afterwards?"  
"We'll have Tantrum, Ted. We'll think of something."  
"No, I mean…. With my life. This is the end of my college life and I need to start my grown-up life and we don't know what to do with my life. You know what I mean?"  
Marshall blinked. "I don't know. You said life a lot."  
Ted sighed.   
Marshall patted his shoulder.  
"New York with me and Lily?"  
"Sure."

**004\. Seconds. **

"Congratulations to you and Lily," Ted said moodily.   
"Thanks, dude." Marshall's words were as slurred as Ted's; there had been too much champagne that evening.  
"Did I actually say that – I think I'm in love with you – to Robin?"  
"You actually did."  
"Oh no." Ted clutched his chest as if his heart was in pain. "I'm an idiot. And I'll never have what you and Lily have. I'll never find Mrs Ted Mosby."  
"You will," Marshall said sleepily.  
"But Robin…"  
"Do you feel like Robin is the one?"  
"I don't know."  
"I knew Lily was – within seconds."

**005\. Minutes.**

Lily sat in the bar alone, nursing her drink. The talk with Marshall had not gone well – she had been so sure that they were meant for one another that she had never seriously expected that they wouldn't get back together. She didn't even know why she was in the bar still – was it mostly that she was hoping he'd come down to find her?  
The minutes passed… and suddenly there he was…  
She walked up and tapped him on the shoulder. "Marshall?"  
He turned around… and Lily's heart broke again.   
"Sorry, Señor Justicia," she said sadly. "Wrong person."

 

**006\. Hours. **

"Suit up!"  
Robin made a face. "I don't feel like suiting up, Barney."  
"Sure ya do! It's gonna be legen – wait for – "  
"No, it won't."  
"Of course it will! Cigars, Scotch, Laser Tag, Battleship – actual Battleship, this time…"  
"Barney. Ted and I broke up a few hours ago. I'm tired after the wedding. I'm not in the mood. And shouldn't you be suiting up with him?"  
"Technically you've been broken up a few weeks now. And you were always a better bro."  
Robin glanced side-long at Barney. "We were good together."  
"We were. Suit up, Scherbatsky."

 

**007\. Days. **

Marshall managed to hold it in while they were still in Ted's room, but as soon as Ted was asleep and Lily had gently closed the door he exploded.   
"How could she? How… How _could_ she?!"  
Lily patted Marshall's arm consolingly but he brushed her off.   
"I knew there was something up with her. She hated Star Wars. Who hates Star Wars?!"  
"And she's from New Jersey," Barney added. He shrugged. "Maybe Stella made the right call."  
Marshall snorted and Lily sighed.  
"Ted's dodged a bullet. Just watch. In a few days we'll be suiting up and he'll be fine."

 

**008\. Weeks.**

Ted usually enjoyed those moments he spent with just Lily and Marshall – when they weren't being too coupley, anyway. Robin was preparing for her new job, and Barney… well, Ted didn't know where Barney was but he assumed it was somewhere legendary.  
That evening though, he had something to discuss - something which made him feel awkward. Like he was betraying a confidence, even though no confidence had been made. But he needed the advice of his best friends.  
"You guys – I think Barney's in love with Robin."  
Lily's eyes widened. "You _know_?"  
"_You_ know?"  
"We've known for weeks!"

 

**009\. Months. **

"About those deep-rooted insecurities that don't really exist…" Ted began.  
"They don't," Barney replied taking a sip of his gin and tonic. "Because let's face it, I'm awesome."  
Ted frowned. "You have to feel something after being with Robin for so long."  
"Ted. Ted, Teddy, Ted. I'm not you. I'm glad to be out of there. Glad I dodged that train, am I right? Train-dodging five! That's where we…"  
"I'm not giving you five!" Ted interrupted. "I'm trying to have a serious conversation. You're my best friend and…"  
"I'm your best friend?"  
"I'm lucky enough to have four of them."

**010\. Years.**

"'Twas the night before Christmas and I saw Ted's sister, taking off all her clothes, I was glad I'd not missed her…"  
"I dated that guy," Robin remarked, as Ted snatched his family Christmas card from Barney.   
"Yes you did," Lily said matter-of-factly, pouring eggnog.  
"I thought the I-want-to-screw-your-sister jokes were old." Ted took his drink, glaring at Barney.  
"It's a Christmas tradition," Barney scoffed.  
"This is our fifth Christmas all together, you guys," Robin realised.  
"Eggnog toast?" suggested Marshall, raising his glass.  
"To Christmas," Ted raised his own.  
"To bros – and to girl-bros," Barney said.  
"To friends."


End file.
